I spent today getting back in the swing of things at work–researching, writing, planning, and scheming, and asking people with money to give it to me for my plans and schemes, probably my least favorite activity, though I’m fairly certain that my student group can spend your group’s money better than you can. And then it was time to get on the bike. Continue reading
blight
Buildings Being Demolished on Druid Hill Park Lane & Linden Avenue
I’m back home in Baltimore, and after a day of rest it was time to take the Surly out for a trip around Druid Hill Park to see if anything’s changed. After a few days on the Brompton, it was good to be back on the touring bike, all stretched out and high up. Man, I love that bike. I pedaled over to Hampden, made a couple of stops, and then headed toward the park for a quick ride around the water. Continue reading
Blight Behind the Masquerade Costume Superstore at Columbus & Washington in Philadelphia
My dear old friend S. is in Philadelphia for a conference this weekend and I had the day free, so I got up early and drove up I95 to the City of Brotherly Love. Now, I hate driving, but not nearly as much as I hate parking, especially in a tourist district in an unfamiliar town. It makes me anxious, and I don’t think I’ll ever be rich enough to feel good about paying twenty bucks so I can leave a car alone for a couple of hours. Answer: toss the Brompton in the trunk, park in a residential neighborhood, and bike downtown. Continue reading
Heritage Sign & Blighted Building at Lafayette & Division
Oh, it’s finally here, my itty bitty clown bike! I got a call yesterday evening from the bike shop, so I waited impatiently this morning before walking down to the shop for its 11am opening to fetch the newest member of the family. It was just as lovely as I remembered, and as I took it out for a test spin along the Jones Falls Trail, I started to get good and giddy. It’s just so much fun! I rode it back home to grab my helmet and to show it off to S. before heading back down the hill to meet V. for work that couldn’t get done because I was too bust thinking about riding my new bike. I then rode it over to Upton to meet J. so we could nerd out together along the Pennsylvania Avenue heritage walking tour. I snapped this picture of the new bike against a new public history sign and increasingly old blight. The tour tells the history of a culturally, politically, socially, and economically vibrant area, but it doesn’t explain at all why so much of that has been lost as parts of this neighborhood continue falling to pieces as others keep it alive. Upton and Pennsylvania don’t look like they do now by chance. Decisions were made that make that glittering past “history,” right? I pushed my bike from sign to sign, historic church to historic church, stopping along the way for a chat here or there, and a chance to demonstrate the Brompton’s quick fold to a woman sitting outside in the sunshine with her cigarette, watching people pass on by. And then it was time to ride the new bike up the hill to home for one last fold on its birthday before lugging it up the steps to its new home. I can’t wait to see what we learn next. *squeal*
Tree Growing From a Building at Lafayette & Charles
Today’s ride took me up to Hampden for another bikram yoga class where I’m trying to stretch out my tight bicycling hips. Yeah, I’ve got a ways to go with that. After a quick stop at home for a shower and lunch, I took my writing project with me and flew down the hill to meet V. for a coffee and work date. These are just the kind of small errands that are done much more quickly on bike than in a car; the last thing I want to do is spend time and money parking my car in Hampden or Station North. Continue reading
Baltimore Recycling Center at E. Biddle & Edison Hwy.
Sunday’s a work day for me, but once I got some stuff done I had time to go on a ride without a destination–my favorite. Today’s ride took me down the hill until I decided to take a left on Biddle to see where it would end. Whenever I ride off the very main-est of the main drags in this town (i.e. a street that doesn’t lead to the freeway) I’m struck again by just how many vacant properties are in this city. Just a couple miles on Biddle, if that, and I passed dozens, many on blocks with one or two really nice and well-kept houses, and I thought about what it could look like, if only, if only what. Continue reading
Crumbling Building at Druid Park Lake Drive and Brookfield
After a couple days with too much work and too much wind for a bike ride, S. finally got me back on the bike as we rode up to Druid Hill Park where she ran and I rode in circles. The sky was blue and white clouds and gray drips, because half the city was raining, but it stayed dry as I pedaled around and around, keeping my mouth closed so I didn’t eat the pink petals blowing around like snow. Continue reading
Tree and Empty Lot at Aisquith & Autumnleaves Ct.
Today’s bike ride took me down the hill toward Baltimore’s impressive and frightening carceral complex for the Youth Justice Sunday event. I was a little late and missed the march, so I pedaled around, trying to find the crowd. I heard the police helicopter flying over head and tried to follow it, figuring the cops would be on the case, as they have been at every single march or rally I’ve been to in this city. Continue reading
Boarded-Up Buildings at Gay & High
Another spring break day meant another day of riding my bike around town, and oh, but it feels good to pedal around aimlessly! I rode down to the bike shoppe to take the clown bike out for another spin and then headed down to Fells Point for some frozen yogurt and a think. I mean, I don’t need another bicycle, not at all, and for that price I could get a real bike. Continue reading
Scaffolding on a Row House at Fremont & Lanvale
It was sunny and clear out when I woke up this morning, but S. called me up after she left my apartment to warn me that it was cold and windy and not to be fooled by the lighting. You see, I have a tendency to dress aspirationally, for the weather I want rather than the weather I have, and that gets me into trouble sometimes. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 